


I'll Keep You Safe

by leiandcharles



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 15:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3294986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leiandcharles/pseuds/leiandcharles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short one-shot of the night after snow "dies" in the past. Emma has too much on her mind to sleep, Killian just wants to make sure she knows she's not alone. Will she bring her walls down enough for him to comfort her? Meanwhile David is keeping watch over the group, what does he think about a certain prince and princess's relationship? What does he think of his own? Originally posted 5/23/14</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Keep You Safe

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first piece of ff I wrote. I just had this scene stuck in my head begging to be written. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own these characters.

"Emma, love." Killian's voice called out from where he was sleeping, or supposed to be sleeping, just a couple feet away from her. They were laying on a bed of soft grass under a large tree in the enchanted forest. Her cloak and some blankets thrown over them for warmth. She stayed still and tried to keep her breathing steady, pretending to be asleep, she didn't want him to know the effect his presence was having on her. She didn't want him to know that she couldn't fall asleep because she was too busy having a war with herself. Part of her, okay, just about every fiber in her being wanted to turn around and wrap her arms around him, bury her face in his chest and listen to his heart beating. She wanted to sleep in his arms, where she knew she would be safe and loved, something she had never really done before. She hadn't slept this close to another human, especially a man in a long time, not since Neal (she wasn't counting Walsh, she really just wanted to forget Walsh ever existed) and even then it was different. They were always running, they didn't have the luxury of a home or a bed that they could just spend forever wrapped in each other, not doing anything except just sleeping and enjoying the other's presence. Even if they had she knew it wouldn't be the same. She knew she would have never felt for Neal the way she does for Killian and that's what scares her the most. She knew that if she turned around right now and gave in to the desire to sleep wrapped in his arms she would also be giving her heart to him. She could tell him it was a onetime thing, she could tell herself it was a onetime thing, but they would both know she was lying. After all they both knew she was lying the first time she said those words, back in Neverland. There was just too much between them. Too much passion, too much of a connection for it to ever be a onetime thing. She was just too scared, too terrified of what will happen if she gives him her heart and he can't keep it safe. She knew once she gave in to her feelings that he would have the power to destroy her. She knew she cared for him far greater than she ever cared for Neal and that scared her. If Neal breaking her heart left her with mile high concrete walls and still terrified of love a decade later what will Killian be able to do to her. She couldn't take the chance not just yet.

"Emma, I know you are awake, I know this can't be easy for you, I want you to know that you can talk to me, about anything. I'm here for you." His words brought tears to her eyes. She didn't want to talk about it, or about anything that had happened these past couple days, she especially didn't want to cry in front of him again. She wanted to put those walls back up and keep them there, she wouldn't get hurt that way.

Instead she closed her eyes and found herself turning ever so slowly in his direction. She felt his hand cup her cheek, his thumb wiping her tears away for the second time that night. She found herself opening her eyes and bringing them up to meet his. Looking into his eyes she realized just how sincere he was, how much he truly loved her and she saw how much he was hurting, just because she was hurting. She knew that he would never hurt her, he would never leave her, he would never break her heart. She realized it was time to stop running. Something changed between them during this adventure, she could feel it. She could feel her walls falling down and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to put them back up, not around him at least. It was time to stop being afraid of her feelings. It was time to open herself up to the possibility of loving Killian Jones. She knew she wasn't quite ready to admit her feelings, not just yet, but she also knew he wasn't going to pressure her into admitting them. She knew that he wouldn't be expecting that much from her in that department, not now anyways, not so soon after watching her mother die and then watching her come back to life, just to realize that her mother had no idea who she really was. No, she knew he only wanted to make sure she was alright, he just wanted to be there for her, to comfort her. So she let him. She moved closer to him, putting her arm across his chest and burying her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed in the scent of him and listened to his heart beating.

His arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her to him, afraid that she was going to put those walls back up at any moment. He bent his head down until his face was buried in her hair. He breathed in the scent of her and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Wishing he could tell her how much he loves her without scaring her off.

―――――

Her father was sitting by the fire on the other side of the clearing keeping watch over everyone. He wanted to give the prince and princess some privacy, but couldn't help watching them. He knew that Prince Charles loved that girl with all his heart, but remembered that the prince wasn't sure about the girl's feelings. It was clear however that the girl truly loved him back. He could tell by the way she looked at him throughout the evening, he could tell by the small smiles and glances she sent his way when she thought no one was looking. He could tell by the way they talked to each other, by the way they had nicknames for each other, seriously what were those about? Hook? Swan? What kind of nicknames are those? He smiled to himself when he saw the princess turn around and relax into the princes arms. He knew it was only a matter of time before they were betrothed.

The thought of marriage only made him think back to the situation he was stuck in. He wished he could get out of it. Even if he didn't have anyone to call "his princess". He just wanted the chance to find that. To find a love like what Prince Charles and Princess Leia had. Like what his mother and father had. True love. He took the small pouch out of his pocket and pulled the ring out of it. He held it up in front of him as the stone glistened in the light of the fire and thought about everything he had gone through the past day to get that ring back and thought about how much he wished he could put that ring on the finger of someone he truly loved. Sighing he placed the ring back into its pouch and caught sight of the girl, the bandit that had stolen the ring from him in the first place, out of the corner of his eye. She looked so peaceful, so gentle in her sleep he couldn't believe she was a wanted criminal. She looked like she wouldn't hurt anyone. He knew that she could, however, she was quite fearsome when she wanted to be. But there was something else about her. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

―――――

Snow was not too far from him leaning against a fallen log as she slept, the glow of the fire reflecting on her soft skin, the heat of the flames keeping her warm in the crisp night air. She hadn't had much trouble falling asleep after the long and extremely tiring day she had had, apparently turning yourself into a bug to escape a fireball at your execution can really take a lot out of a person. That combined with all the events that had transpired since she quite literally walked into Charming's net that morning let her fall asleep as soon as she lay down against the moss covered log. There was also something about being so close to this prince. She felt safe near him for some reason, she didn't really know much about him, or him about her, but she had a feeling he wouldn't let anything happen to her. For the first time in a long time she felt that she was surrounded by people she could trust.


End file.
